OFFICE
OF JUDICIAL AFFAIRS:
"MANAGING ANGER GROUP"
The Office of Judicial Affairs is committed to supporting the
educational mission of Syracuse University by intervening in the
lives of students to promote academic, social, and ultimately,
professional success. In an effort to address the needs presented
by our student population and shift to a broader, more proactive
focus, the Office of Judicial Affairs has developed a broad-based
programming effort related to issues of civility, community involvement,
ethical decision-making, and positive peer interactions. As a
result, the Office of Judicial Affairs has developed a program
entitled, "Back to Basics: Re-Building the Bridge to Your
Community." (This program is also known as the "Managing
Anger Group.")
The "Managing Anger Group" was designed to respond
to critical incidents and individual misconduct. The focus of
the program is to offer students responsible for violating the
Code of Student Conduct as a result of the use of violent behavior
(e.g., bar fights or physical confrontations between roommates,
not relationship or domestic violence), a chance to learn
from past mistakes in judgment and the opportunity to learn effective
conflict resolution skills. The interactive group sessions are
designed to be flexible in order to meet the individual needs
of each group member. Topics to be addressed in the group sessions
includes:
- Managing anger;
- Making responsible alcohol and other drug choices;
- Communicating across difference (gender, race, sexual orientation,
class, etc.);
- Building healthy relationships;
- Understanding and resisting peer pressure; and
- Contributing positively to the community.
Learning Outcomes
- To provide students with examples of alternative methods
of communication which will result in positive and constructive
outcomes rather than negative and destructive (physical or verbal)
outcomes.
- To help students understand their own decision-making processes
and to emphasize that there are positive and negative consequences
to their behaviors which require accountability and responsibility.
- To confront and challenge participants to take risks and
use their peers as a resource for constructive and positive feedback
and support.
Activities
- Participate in six, two-hour sessions of the "Managing
Anger Group." These sessions are facilitated by the Goldberg
Family and Couple Therapy Center. (Each group will be limited
to a maximum of eight students.)
- Complete meaningful homework assignments each week that will
reinforce the concepts that were taught during the skill building
exercises.
- Have group members develop, role play, learn, and practice
specific skills, strategies, and tools for managing and reducing
anger during critical incidents.
Assessment
- Track the long-term effectiveness of the interactive group
program by monitoring the recidivism rate of those students who
participated in the program.
- Gather meaningful feedback from the participants.
- Gather assessments of the group process and progress from
the group facilitators.